Evan Neumann, who fled the US after he was charged with 14 offences including assault of a police officer, appeared on Belarusian state television yesterday, CNN reports.

He told BelTA: “Today I have mixed feelings. I am glad Belarus took care of me. I am upset to find myself in a situation where I have problems in my own country.”

The TV station wrote on social media that Mr Neumann fled the US because of “politically motivated charges” and said he had been granted permission to stay in Belarus “indefinitely”.

Belarusian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka has described himself as “the last dictator in Europe” and in 2020 ordered the violent suppression widespread protests and strikes against his rule.